Choosing a major and planning your career are complicated tasks. Your Career Counselor can help you determine which majors "fit" you, explore career possibilities within your major, and create strategies to reach your goals. Make an appointment with your Career Counselor or stop by during our Drop-In hours.

This guide is intended to help you determine your career readiness in four key areas, and it provides action steps to help you develop your skills and stand out to employers. 

Your Career & Life Success Guide

The Graduate Staus Report (GSR) is a searchable database of Cal Poly graduates' first jobs and graduate school plans, including job title, company name, and starting salary. This resource can give you ideas about career possibilities available to you and potential employers to investigate for internships and jobs.

Graduate Status Report

This online resource provides lists of typical career areas and types of employers that hire students within each major, as well as strategies to make you a more marketable candidate.

What Can I Do With This Major?

Career Services' Industry Spotlight program seeks to connect students with exciting new job markets projected to show employment growth over the next 5-10 years. Explore Industry Spotlight to learn about the latest trends, careers in the field, potential employers, and job opportunities.

Published every two years by the federal government, Occupation Outlook Handbook presents up-to-date career information, including typical duties, working conditions, and education and training. It is an excellent resource for getting a general overview of the careers that interest you.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/

O*Net is a research database with highly specific career information, including typical tasks, education and training, salary, and job outlook. This resource also allows you to search for careers by your interests, skills, and work values; so it is particularly useful for connecting your personal factors with careers.

https://www.onetonline.org/

There are over 300 unique student organizations at Cal Poly! Attending club meetings, especially related to your major or career interests, can introduce you to other students who share your interests, help you get involved in related projects, and meet employers who want to hire students for internships and full-time careers.

ASI Club Directory

Information Sessions are a chance to informally talk with employers, learn more about companies, and network for internships and full-time careers. Career Services typically offers between 50-60 information sessions per year. Dress is business casual attire and bring your resume; it may be possible to secure an interview if companies have positions available.

How to View Current Information Sessions

1. Log into MustangJobs
2. Select the "Events" tab located on the top navigation bar
3. Filter by Type - Info Session
4. Select the info session you want to attend 
5. Click the green Attend button on the top right corner to indicate that you plan to attend. 

Explore profiles of students and alumni from Cal Poly, and get connected to benefit from first-hand advice and experience. (You will need to create an account to fully utilize this resource. Must be logged in to LinkedIn.)

An informational interview is an opportunity to sit down with a professional in a field that interests you in order to learn more about a particular company or field; and job shadowing is where you observe a professional in the field in order to experience a "day in the life" perspective. Both opportunities allow you to explore potential careers and increase your professional network. If you need help connecting with professionals in your field, make an appointment with your Career Counselor.

Informational Interviewing Handout

Career Exploration and Preparation Action Plan Handout